Heroes, Sinners, and Ordinary Folk

"Where love rules, there is no will to power, and where power predominates, love is lacking. The one is the shadow of the other." Carl Jung

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." 1 John 4:7-8 (ESV)

I consider myself (somewhat often) to be the average Christian, treading that fine line of in the world not of it, although occasionally a foot may slip off the side, or an arm, or a leg. And then of course, those times I go leaping head first over the side! (As Mr. Jimmy Buffet says "It's a fine line between Saturday night and Sunday morning!")

Without God's continued grace (and apparently...unending patience) I would be nowhere. None of us would. Without His forgiveness of all, all would be lost. But even if we don't accept His forgiveness, He continues to love us, continues to call us to Himself, to shower us with blessing beyond imagining.

Now here's the kicker. We are told to forgive, as God has forgiven us. (Colossians 3:13) To love others, as God loves us. (John 13:34) Otherwise, God is not in us, and we do not know Him. I don't know about you, but I have been known to hold a grudge or two. And it's wrong. And I say that's just not possible. No one can be that good. And then...

Louis Zamperini. Olympic Runner, POW in Japan during WWII, his story told in the book and movie "Unbroken". Beaten, starved, humiliated. Yet he not only was able to forgive his captors, after a time, he went back to Japan to reach out personally with forgiveness and love.

Betsie Ten Boom. Sister of Corrie Ten Boom, author of "The Hiding Place". She and Corrie were in the same prison, same work camps, same concentration camps. She was beaten, starved, humiliated, forced to sleep on soiled straw filled with fleas, eventually became sick and died without ever seeing freedom. Yet she prayed for her captors, not for their punishment, but that they could be released from darkness to experience the Joy that is Jesus. Her last words were for Carrie to care for them.

And I am ashamed. How can such love exist? I feel completely incapable of such love. Guess what? So did Lewis. So did Betsie. When there was no forgiveness in them, they asked God to forgive THROUGH them. When there was no love to give, they asked God to love THROUGH them. Rather than think others unlovable, let God love them through you. Rather than withhold forgiveness, let God forgive through you. The darkness they put you through is little compared to the darkness that enslaves them, tears at them, drains their hope, and leaves them empty, hopeless, alone.

When opportunity presents itself (and I speak to myself as well), let God forgive when you cannot. Let God love when you hate. Then God can also heal your hurt, turn your heart, and make you both whole.

By the way, I highly recommend both "Unbroken" and "The Hiding Place" as excellent reading. Love and Peace.